Akasha.
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Launch your first instance

Create a container from a base image, watch it start, and open a shell in it from the console.

This tutorial takes you from an empty project to a running container with a shell open in your browser. It uses a container because containers start in seconds and need no extra setup; the differences for virtual machines are noted at the end.

You need access to a project where you can create instances. If the Create instance button is disabled with a permission tooltip, ask your administrator.

Create the instance

  1. In the sidebar, go to Instances → Create instance.
  2. Enter an Instance name, for example my-first-instance. Names must be 1–63 characters, contain only letters, digits, and hyphens, start with a letter, and be unique within the project. You can also leave the name empty and let Akasha generate one.
  3. Under Base Image, click Browse images. The selector lists images already in your project and, in most deployments, the public image catalog (availability is specific to your deployment). Filter by OS and pick an Ubuntu container image, then select it.
  4. The Instance type is set to Container automatically when you pick a container image. Leave Profiles at the default — the default profile supplies the root disk and network interface your instance needs.
  5. Click Create and start.

You are returned to the instance list. A row labeled Setting up appears at the top with a spinner while the instance is created; a toast notification confirms Created and started instance my-first-instance. when it's done. For a container from a cached image this typically takes a few seconds; the first pull of a new image takes longer.

Open a shell

  1. Click the instance name in the list to open the instance detail page.
  2. Go to the Terminal tab. A shell opens directly in your browser, running as root inside the instance.
  3. Try a command:
cat /etc/os-release

The Terminal works out of the box for containers. If the tab reports a permission error, your account lacks the terminal permission for this instance — ask your administrator.

Find its IP address

Switch to the Overview tab. The General card shows the instance's status, base image, type, and its IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

The address is on your project's private network. Other instances on the same network can reach it, but it is not reachable from the internet — see About networking for how to expose services deliberately.

Clean up (optional)

To remove the instance: on the detail page, Stop it first (instances can only be deleted when stopped), then click Delete and confirm. Deletion is permanent.

If you want a virtual machine instead

The same flow creates a VM: pick a VM image in the image selector (the Instance type switches to VM). Differences to know:

  • VMs boot a full kernel, so they take longer to start than containers.
  • VMs get a Console tab with a graphical console in addition to the text console. On VM images without a guest agent (for example immutable OSes), the Terminal tab is unavailable — use the Console tab instead.
  • You can also install a VM from your own ISO file. See Custom ISOs.

See Create instances for all creation options, including OCI application containers and importing existing VM disk images.

Next steps